Friday, December 20, 2013

We are so excited to host this amazing giveaway! The following authors & publishers have generously contributed to this event:

Catherine Bybee

Jewel Adams

Gemma Halliday

Astraea Press

Susan Hatler

Ruth Ann Nordin

Rose Gordon

Cheree Alsop

Veronica Blade

To make it easier for our guests to win the prizes they are most interested in we have created individual rafflecopters for each of the contributors. Feel free to enter as many giveaways as you wish and you can tweet about each giveaway every day!

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Promises are made to be kept, never stolen. But that’s exactly what happened to Victoria Blane and Levi Manor. Tragedy strikes their perfect relationship leaving Victoria struggling to overcome the darkness that threatens to bury her.

With Victoria’s life in tatters she decides that running away is easier than dealing with her troubles. But when a friend finds her on the floor in her kitchen, she knows it’s time for a change.

Brighton Hanley knows what it’s like to lose someone. He knows what it’s like to be haunted by things that can never change. When he meets Victoria he recognizes the pain she’s trying to bury deep in her eyes. He knows she’s trying to run away, but he also knows that you can’t run forever.

Victoria is drawn to Brighton in ways she never expected. He becomes her champion, her life line… her sunshine in the darkness. But is Victoria ready to let go of the past and grab on to her future? Or will she run away from Brighton before she can be hurt again?

Teaser

The next morning Victoria was surprised to find it drizzling outside. She snuggled further under the quilt but when she reached over for Levi, he wasn’t there. She groggily opened her eyes and started to sit up looking for him, but he wasn’t inside the small cabin.

Wrapping the quilt around her body she shuffled over to the window to look out and see Levi rearranging some things in the truck. She opened it slightly and called out to him, “Morning, did you have breakfast yet?”

He waved back at her, there was mud down his jeans but he looked relaxed and almost cheerful. “No not yet. I’m trying to get down to the main house to get us some, it was included with our stay. God damn truck is stuck in the mud.”

Victoria sighed deeply, so much for getting to see the small town that was close by. “Well I packed some snacks.”

He smiled back at her and shrugged his shoulders and walked into the cabin taking off his muddy boots upon arrival. He walked over to Victoria and delivered a light kiss on the cheek, “How did I get so lucky?”

She smiled back at him devilishly, “Can’t tell ya. So what’s the grand plan for today vacation planner?”

He laughed at her teasing, “You’ll just have to wait and see won’t you?”

She set her lips into a thin line, Victoria didn’t like surprises very much.

“Don’t worry about it. Just eat your granola bar.”

After they ate and Victoria had gotten dressed Levi led her to the back of the cabin to a small trail. “I think you’re really going to enjoy this.”

They walked through the cool spring air while trees shed sprinkles on them. They walked in silence, hand-in-hand over small rocks and twigs, through the mud until Victoria finally heard rushing water. “Is that a waterfall?”

Levi smiled at her. “Nope. I did you one better.”

As they continued to walk they came upon a clearing with a small hot spring receded into the ground. There were rocks set up around it clearly put there by nature while others had been moved by people to keep clothes dry and supplies away from the steam. Victoria smiled and pushed Levi playfully. “You know I didn’t bring a bathing suit!”

Levi kissed her on the lips pushing his body against hers, “Of course I know that.” He quickly began to strip, taking his hoodie and shirt off in a flash. Victoria watched with interested eyes as he turned to her, his tanned muscles rippling beneath the light rain. He walked over to her and wrapped his hands around her body to bring her closer. “You’re going to join me, right?” He whispered hotly in her ear.

About Brina Courtney

Brina Courtney is a new adult author obsessed with chocolate, crime shows, and fantasy movies. She’s spent the last few years as an elementary teacher and a high school cheering coach. She lives in a small town in Pennsylvania with her husband and two very loud, small dogs.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Ollie just wants one thing. The girl.
Things haven’t been going so well with Anne lately, though; their relationship has become a perpetual study date, and Ollie’s roommates are starting to worry about him. How to fix things? Why, with a marriage proposal, of course.
Unfortunately for Ollie, his relationship with Anne has run out of gas. Life feels like it’s counting down to one. And that one is the only person in Ollie’s life he really cares about: Ollie. Perhaps, then, he should get over himself. But first he has to deal with Sparks, the irritating little Yankees fan who invades his life in order to “help” him. And while Keith, his best friend, is doing all he can to help, Ollie’s other friend Richie never fails to show up and threaten to ruin everything just by being himself. Never mind all the drama Sparks brings to the party by forcing Ollie to take a job actually helping people in need.
Will Ollie meet the girl? Will it be in history class? On a road trip to Colorado? Can he get over Anne, or should he try to mend the relationship? Should he pursue the new girl Sparks is trying to set him up with? As the strings of the puppeteer tangle with the strings of the heart, only one person can sort out the mess Ollie has made. It seems that the harder he tries, the more Ollie messes things up. Is Sparks a cruel manipulator, or is he really going to help Ollie find his match?

Praise for Sparks the Matchmaker:
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. How many "romance" novels do you read where the protagonist is male, or even where the author is male? At first, I thought that was going to be the unique focus of this story.
I was pleasantly surprised, though. The "Sparks" character was a completely unique take on things. Also, I tend to be one of those people who frequently predicts the endings of books and t.v. shows, etc., but I hadn't seen the ending of this story coming. It was a quick and easy read (which was just what I needed right now) but with plenty of intelligence and creativity woven into the story. I think I can say with confidence that even my teenage son would enjoy it, as well as my Mom. Looking forward to the next installment in the series.
Definitely not what I expected from a romantic comedy novel, but in a good way! Can't wait for the next one :)

Author Russell Elkins

Russell Elkins has become a leading expert on open adoption through first-hand experience that he now shares in Open Adoption, Open Heart. Russell regularly contributes to Adoption.com. He also writes his own blog at russellelkins.com to educate others in the struggles and beauties of open adoption.
Russell has always been a family man at heart, looking forward to the day when he could be a husband and a father. It took him a little while, but eventually his eyes locked onto a beautiful blonde, and he has never looked away. Russell and Jammie were married in 2004. They had the same goals for their home and didn't want to wait too long before starting their family. However, filling their home quickly with children wasn't in the cards, and they found themselves weighing their options to overcome problems with infertility. Their lives changed dramatically the day they decided to adopt.
Russell and Jammie have adopted two beautiful children, Ira and Hazel, and have embraced their role as parents through open adoption. Both are actively engaged in the adoption community by communicating through social media, taking part in discussion panels, and writing songs about adoption.
Russell was born on Andrews Air Force Base near Washington, D.C., in the fall of 1977. Along with his five siblings, he and his military family moved around a lot, living in eight different houses by the time he left for college at age 17. Although his family moved away from Fallon, Nevada, just a few months after he moved out, he still considers that little oasis in the desert to be his childhood hometown.
Even after leaving home, Russell always stayed close to his family. He shared an apartment with each of his three brothers at different times during his college career. They formed a band together back in the 1990s and still perform on a regular basis under the name of the Invisible Swordsmen.
After nearly a decade of college and changing his major a few times, Russell received his bachelor's degree in sociology from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. He later graduated from Ameritech College where he learned the trade of being a dental lab technician. Russell now owns and operates Elkins Dental Lab located in Meridian, Idaho.

Tour Giveaway
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 1/12/14
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

Tifferz Take~
Sparks the Matchmaker was a delightful surprise. I enjoyed being inside
Ollie's head and seeing things from his prospective. Sparks is an
unusual character and gave me a different view of relationships and the
journey they take us on. I liked watching Ollie grow and change as a
person. And see the failure and success of girlfriends, friends and co
workers. Anne, Richie, Keith, D, Joy,Lynn, Scott, Marie and Greg were
and essential supporting cast of this jaunt. I thought I had the story
figured out but I will admit Mr. Elkins added a few twists I was not
expecting in the end. I will say that I felt the author over used
“You’re a jerk. You know that, right?” Overall a fun story. I would like
to read Keith's story.

Monday, December 16, 2013

Nixon Abandonato made his choice. And now he has to pay the price. Tracey is the love of his life, but being with him has made her a target of his family's enemies. The only way to keep Trace alive is convince the world she means nothing to him.

Trace Rooks has fallen irrevocably in love with the son of her family's sworn rival, and she knows in her bones nothing can tear them apart. Until Nix suddenly pushes her away and into the arms of his best friend... But Trace isn't ready to give up on a future with Nix--and if he won't fight for them, she will.

In the end, a sacrifice must be made. A life for a life. For what better way to cover a multitude of sins than with the blood of a sinner . . .

Before I say anything else about Elect, I have to give my personal warning about this book:

Before reading please make sure you have the following items nearby: LARGE box of kleenex, several items you can throw or hit, your phone for texting or calling your best friend during emotional highs & lows!

If you thought Elite was an emotional rollercoaster, you are in for the mother of all rollercoasters with Elect! No matter what - remember to KEEP READING!!! You can't judge the book until you read the final sentence

Elect is Rachel Van Dyken and New Adult at its most intense. If you haven't read Elite yet - READ IT FIRST! You can't possibly grasp everything that's going on in this book if you haven't read the first one.

Nixon, Chase, & Tex are back and they mean business. They have a bit of mystery to solve, yet more importantly - they have a woman to protect - Trace. Nixon places Trace in the trusted hands of his best friend and right-hand man, Chase Winters. Problem is - Chase is in love with Trace just as much as Nixon is. Will a woman come between the two best friends?

Elite introduced us to a hidden world - a secret world of power, money, and lies. Elect delves even further into the mafia world and into the minds and hearts of three of the Elect: Nixon, Chase, and Phoenix. There is an added depth and perspective this time that is gained by utilitzing 3 points of view. While Phoenix's POV is very different than the others, it gives the reader much-needed knowledge and background into what is TRULY going on.

This book had me running the entire emotional gamut. I experienced anger, fear, sadness, passion, confusion, pity, scorn, and empathy - just to name a few. This book is intense. It is not a light read, so if that's what you're looking for - go pick up one of Rachel's books that are not New Adult (she has historical & contemporary romances, even some dystopian!) BUT... if you want a gritty and exhileratin read - I highly recommend Elect, by Rachel Van Dyken.

Tifferz Take~

Elect is written from three male points of view. Nixon, Chase and
Phoenix. I liked getting into the guys heads and seeing how they
thought. I will say I would love to read this story from Trace’s point
of view. I want to know what was going through her head. Elect is
filled with love, friendship, loyalty, betrayal, hurt, lies, mystery and
the unexpected. I savored it in one sitting as I could not bring myself
to stop till the last word was read at 2:30am. It was worth every
moment. The web of lies, deceit and danger is spectacular. Nixon is
place is a tough situation and makes some very difficult decisions with
the thought of Trace alone. Remember that!! Chase is put in some
compromising situations and he takes advantage of them. I was surprised
how much I liked getting into Phoenix’s head. It really helped me
understand him and why he did the things he did. Not to excuse his
behavior. The roller coaster of action, anxiety, emotions and stress
was an exciting ride. I felt a part of the story. I could feel the pain,
love and urgency to protect those we love. The cast was brilliant along
with the plot and character development. Lucas is a pretty creepy guy.
I think you don’t want to mess with the Sicilians. Mil was a new
character and vital to this story. How Lucas resolves an issue, with Mil
as the answer, was a bit of a shock to me. I thought it was a stellar
move. I am eager to read Chase’s story as we are left speechless at the
end of this book. I truly love this amazing mafia series Ms. Van Dyken
has out done herself! This is a must read book.

FYI ~ this is a New Adult book and contains violence, intimate situations, and strong language. Not recommended for readers under 18.

Honest Disclosure - I received an ARC from netgalley in exchange for my honest review

Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she's not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor. She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband and their snoring Boxer, Sir Winston Churchill. She loves to hear from readers! You can follow her writing journey at http://rachelvandykenauthor.com/

“One that’s forever. One that
protects people rather than hurts them.”

“How do we do that?” I was suddenly
interested. What if I could make all the hurt go away? What if I could save
everyone!

“We do this.” Chase pulled out his
pocketknife and cut open his hand, then nodded to me to do the same thing.
Without pausing I cut open my hand and handed back the knife. “Blood brothers.
We’re never gonna hurt each other and we’re gonna save those like your ma,
Nixon. Ones who can’t save themselves. We’re going to protect them.”

“How?” I watched as the blood
dripped from my open palm.

“Rules.” Chase shrugged. “They keep
people safe, right? At least that’s what my mom says.” He smiled. “We make
rules and we start our own club. That way, we don’t have to listen to anyone
but us.”

I liked it. I chewed on my lower lip. “What
do we call ourselves?”

“The chosen?” Chase offered.

“No, that sounds lame. We have to
sound… more powerful than that.”

My eyes flickered to the road, and
a sign poked into the ground. It said election. “Elect.” I pointed. “Let’s call
ourselves The Elect.” It made sense; after all, the president was elected,
wasn’t he? We weren’t exactly chosen, but we were making the choice, we were
electing ourselves protectors. That’s what we were.

“Who else can join?” Chase asked.

“Tex and Phoenix. They’ll want to.”
A weight suddenly felt like it was being lifted off my twelve-year-old
shoulders. “Should we shake on it?”

I pressed my fingers to my temples and watched, replaying that moment
over and over again in my head as the outline of Chase and Tracey flickered in
the moonlight. Would he really do this to me? After all the shit we’d been
through?

I gauged her reaction, hoping that I would be wrong. Praying to God that
Trace would just this once listen to me. Her eyes flickered with interest for a
few brief seconds before she looked down at the ground.

“Shit.” I waited in the shadows. A part of me knew this would happen. The
part that told me to damn my feelings to hell and ignore all the warning signs
that I’d been seeing. But now it seemed like it was too late. I stayed, planted
where I was, watching, waiting.

“Chase, you can’t…” Trace shook her head. “You can’t be like this. We
can’t do this!”

“We aren’t doing anything,” Chase said in low tones, reaching for Trace’s
hand. “Don’t you?” He looked directly at me, although all he saw was a shadow.
I knew I was well hidden. “Don’t you feel the same way?”

Trace jerked her hand away from Chase’s. “It doesn’t matter what I feel.
It’s not about me, Chase.”

“But it is.” Chase reached for her again. This time her hand grasped his
in such an intimate embrace I thought I was going to vomit all over the ground.
The outside air was cold as hell as little pieces of ice tried to find their
way into my wool coat.

“It isn’t.” Trace sighed. “It never was.”

Chase jerked her toward him. She fell against his chest and looked up
into his eyes. “What are you doing?”

Chase sighed. “What I should have done a long time ago.” He grabbed the
back of her head and pulled her in for a kiss. Their lips touched.

I had to look away.

The only sound in the night was that of my soft footsteps as I walked
away… leaving my heart in broken pieces where I’d last stood. She was lost to
me; it wasn’t even the Sicilians that had taken her, but my best friend.

A gunshot rang out loud and clear in the night air. I turned back around
just in time to see Trace collapse into Chase’s arms.

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Tifferz and Her Sisterz

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